IPOH, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir denied that the ceremony he attended in Kampung Guar, Manong in Kuala Kangsar on Oct 17 had any ritualistic elements as claimed by opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (PAS-Pasir Panjang).
He said the event was to erect the main pillar of a house for the poor and was later ended with a prayer led by an imam in the area.
"There was no element of offerings at event," he said when winding up the debate on the 2011 State Budget on the final day of the state legislative assembly sitting, here Friday.
On the allegation that a piece of land in Kampung Masjid, Pulau Pangkor was given to his mother as claimed by Mohammad Nizar, Zambry said the state government decided to acquire the land occupied by his mother and about 100 other poor families.
Saying that their generations had been occupying the area since over 100 years ago, Zambry said, land acquisition was a normal process to tackle squatter issues.
"It does not involve my mother alone but the whole village where I was born. The land owner offered the land to the state government because if he sold it to other parties, he could not guarantee what would happen to the poor families in the area," he said.
On the approval of structured village land to three Umno members in Simpang Empat, Hutan Melintang, which was raised by A. Sivanesan (DAP-Sungkai), Zambry said the three had applied for the land in 2006.
"It is a new area ... an empty plot of land applied by 11 people including the three. It just happens that these three are Umno members," he said.
Speaking to reporters later, he said, the assembly sitting this time around had given him the opportunities to answer allegations hurled by opposition members.
He also expressed satisfaction with the sitting, saying it was relatively orderly compared to the previous ones.
NOTA KAKI;
NIZAR BODOH CIBAI
